Curren K-8 School EYES Academy Focus Board Presentation January 2016
Enriching Youth via Environmental Studies (EYES)
The EYES Mission and Vision
The Curren School EYES mission is to develop students’ understanding as responsible, empathetic stewards of our world. The Environmental Studies Academy focus incorporates the social, political, and scientific aspects of caring for each other and our world.
EYES In the Classroom
There is a single K-8 plan of curriculum design which builds upon various aspects of environmental studies as the students progress throughout the years. Every grade level has designed one integrated unit for the 2015-2016 school year. The units are integrated across three content areas, and address CCSS and NGSS standards from each area. Each unit begins with a “Big Idea” and an anchor standard. The unit culminates with a Project Based Learning Assessment.
Curren EYES Units of Study by Grade Level (First units 2015-2016 School Year)
Unit Topic: The Big Idea students learn, analyze and understand
NGSS and CCSS Standards
Culminating Assessment
Kinder- We are able to protect our garten Earth. There are specific actions we can take to preserve and take care of Earth.
Anchor Standard: NGSS K-ESS3.C, Language Arts: RI1, 39, L1-6, W5-8, Social Science: H1.2-1.3
Students will create a visual presentation (movie, presentation board, etc.) to show three specific ways they will implement conservation strategies they learned at home, at school, or in the community.
First Grade
Anchor Standard: NGSS 1-LS1-1: Language Arts: RI 1.11.3 1.7, W1.2, 1.7, 1.8 Social Science: 1.2
Students will assimilate animal adaptations to create their own biomimcry or immitation of nature. They will select a method to present an adaptation they would like to develop in order to better thrive in Oxnard CA. Their presentation will include the description of the adaptation, why it is beneficial for their thriving success, and how it is similar/different from the plant/animal adaptations they studied.
Anchor Standard: NGSS 2-LS2-1: Language Arts: SL 2.4 s, W2.3, 2.7-2.8 ELD: 2.1-2.10 Social Studies: 2.4.1-3
Students will create a farmer's market at school. Students will determine the product they will sell and will buy and sell their items. Using an assigned product (fruit/vegetable) students will investigate the production cycle of their food product, design a model to demonstrate how the food item goes from soil to plate and present the concept of the production cycle via an oral presentation.
All plants and animals adapt to their surroundings. Humans make adaptations based on their habitats just like animals do.
Second All Food Comes from Dirt. Grade Natural Resources along with human actions together produce the food we purchase and eat.
Unit Topic: The Big Idea students learn, analyze and understand Third Grade
NGSS and CCSS Standards
Culminating Assessment
One Person can make a lasting Anchor Standard: LS 4- Students will create a service project/plan that when implemented impact on the world. The 3 Language Arts: R3.3- will have a lasting impact. Students will create a presentation for choices individuals and groups 3.6, W3.8, Social the class explaining the project design, an implementation outline make affect the environment. Studies: 3.1, 3.12, including, materials, supplies, and costs associated, the potential Human interactions with the 3.14-18 challenges of the plan, and the anticipated outcome. world impact the environment in both the short and long term.
Fourth All organisms are Grade interconnected. Primary consumers use and transform energy that secondary users need. Finally decomposers return so that the material turns to energy again.
Anchor Standard: Students imagine they have traveled to another planet far away. NGSS 4 LS-1 Language They receive descriptions of the organisms and materials on the Arts: RI4.1-4.9, W4.1-2, planet. They create the food web for the planet. Students then 4.7-8, L4.3-4 Social develop a visual model for their ecosystem and one region in CA Studies: 4.1,4.13, 4.15 and compare and contrast the two locations (board game or diorama, etc.) and a written summary. Student then present this to the class.
Fifth Grade
Anchor Standard: NGSS-ESS3 Language Arts: SL 5.2/3, L5.4, R.5-10, W.5.2, 5.8, L 5.6, SL5.2-3 Social Science: SS5.8
Earth's Water: Fresh water is necessary for life to survive.
Students will create a water conservation initiative. They will present their initiative with a written report and oral/media presentation. The initiative report will include: the technology involved, the logistical plan, the cost involved, and the societal and political barriers to the implementation.
Sixth Grade
Unit Topic: The Big Idea students learn, analyze and understand Agriculture: Agriculture practices of the past, present, and future affect the environment in the long term.
Seventh All things "made" come from Grade the natural environment. This has always been true throughout history.
NGSS and CCSS Standards
Culminating Assessment
Anchor Standard: ESS3- Students will imagine they are able to travel back in time to an 3 Language Arts: ancient society. They will create a recommendation to the ancient RL6.1, RI6.8-9a, W6.1, society for their agriculture practices which would improve the 6.4-10, SL6.2-6.5, future outcome for the location. They will write a persuasive essay L6.1e,6.4,6.6 Social for the society and prepare a formal presentation including visual Studies: WH6.2.1 models. They will then present what the location would look like WH6.2.2 today if they were successful in their proposal. Anchor Standard: MS- Students will create a pitch (Modeled after the TV show Shark ESS3.1- NGSS: LS2.4, Tank) for a change to the use of one natural resource in a specific MS-LS2-1: Language location in the world. Students work in groups to select a natural Arts Standards: W7.1, resource and a specific location. They will research that resource 7.9 RI7.7 Social Science and develop a written report and oral/Media presentation Standards: RH 6-8.3 highlighting the challenges of the overuse of that resource. They will present a possible solution to this issue which the group created. Their solution will include the possible challenges and costs of this solution and how they would convince society to follow their suggested solution.
Eighth Renewable energy sources can Anchor Standard: Grade replace the consumption of NGSS MSPS1-3: limited natural resources. Language Arts: RI.8.1, W8.1, W8.4 Social Sciences: 8.6.1
Students will work in groups to create a modern society that is sustained entirely by renewable energy sources. They will present the society plan which includes: The laws and government oversight, the transportation plan, the residence models, and the food production and waste management. Each group will determine their mode of presentation but it will include an oral, written, and visual model.
EYES Outside the Classroom
School Yard Habitat (SYH) at the front of the school. Spring Earth Day Carnival One field trip per year aligned to EYES Earthkeepers’ Club Kids that Care Club Mouse Squad, AVID, Art Club, ASB, Yearbook
EYES and Our Community
Parent members of our EYES task force Parent meetings for SYH Family planning days Family Earth Day carnival Community Partnerships Federal
Department of Fish and
Wildlife Lowe’s Stores
EYES Into the Future
Apply to CDE Green Ribbon School Recognition (submitted 12/2015) Digitize new logo design (design selected 12/2015 new logo to be live Fall 2016)
Complete brochure (Spring 2016) Plant the SYH (begins 2/2016) Design mural representing EYES theme (Student competition Spring 2016) Design second integrated unit per grade level (Create Spring and Fall 2016 for teaching 2016-2017 school year)
